jared mandell - discovering spirituality and building community

Jared Mandell is the founder of a company call JB Mandell Woodworking. Creating anything out of wood that you can imagine by hand.

Picking a favorite interview is an impossible task for me. But speaking with Jared was particularly special because I related to it so closely. Like Jared, I came from a family with parents who had different religious and political backgrounds. Although positives and negatives can come out of that situation, each child handles it differently. Jared ended up choosing a Christian lifestyle and was drawn to the religion because it stood for something bigger than himself, and offered him a sense of community. ​As Jared’s story unfolds he talks about the process of going from a religious man to a spiritual man, while keeping community and purpose in his life. From his tiny wood shop located in his parents garage he balances a life of isolation and meaningful community. During my time with him there were countless people who would drive by and honk, wave, or shout “hi” to Jared as they passed by. The garage may not be permanent once he saves up enough money, but his humble beginnings and core values always will be